The Mystery Girlfriend
by Paopu Pop
Summary: Sora tries to find Riku the perfect Christmas present. In the meanwhile, he wonders if Riku has a mystery girlfriend Sora doesn't know about and struggles to deal with his more-than-friends feelings for Riku. Christmas and New Year-themed.
1. Part 1:  Christmas

**A/N: I've had this idea for this fic for quite a few weeks, but I was so swamped with finals and classes wrapping up for the semester that I'd been too busy to write it. Now that I'm done until mid-January, I can write it! The next chapter may not be up in a timely manner, but I'll sure as hell try to get it up when I can.**

**The original idea was inspired by my lovely boyfriend, who never tells me what in the hell he wants for Christmas. (Damn you! …but I love you anyway.)**

**I tried a slightly different style for the writing, so I apologize if it's a little awkward at times.**

**This fic is RikuxSora. Flames will be used to light the fireplace I don't have. c: (But I'll make one to light it with!)**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>The Mystery Girlfriend<br>Part 1 - Christmas

Riku is possibly the worst person to ever shop for.

And not in a, "he's so damn picky, he won't like anything I get him," way. No, not at all. The problem is actually the opposite: Riku has never expressed any desire for anything that would make a suitable gift, even before we left the islands when I was fourteen-years-old. And back before then, Christmas shopping was easy and light. As kids we never expected to get each other much outside what it would cost for a book or a CD.

But now we're pretty much adults, and I want to get something really special for Riku. Maybe aside from the fact he's my best friend…

Lately, I feel as if I care about Riku more than what a best friend should. Never more in my life do I seek his acceptance; just his smiles make me happy enough to dance. Best friends shouldn't feel that strongly for each other, should they? And I wonder how long I've had these feelings… was it when I looked for him across the worlds? Before we left the islands? After we came back safely?

Whether or not these feelings are really what I _think _they are (which I still refuse to admit to myself), the chance that I'd ever share them with him is highly unlikely. It would just complicate our already somewhat complicated friendship, and I'm happy as things are now. All I care about right now is his gift this year…

But how can I get him anything special if I have no idea what he wants?

Riku, why do you have to be so difficult without even _trying _to be?

It's only the beginning of December, but until I figure out what to get Riku, it may take me until Christmas to find it.

**Damn it, Riku!**

* * *

><p>In my quest to find Riku's Christmas gift, I wander around Destiny Island's mini-mall aimlessly. There aren't many stores here to offer me much, but it's a good starting point. Maybe a Riku-esque present will just jump out at me.<p>

Yeah, it's a long shot… but I've got nothing else to work on.

After searching the east wing, I start to make my way to the north wing. There's some trinket shops and candy down that way. Then again, a box of candy seems kind of lame, especially thinking of Riku…

Caught up in my thoughts, it almost escapes my eye. In partial disbelief, I turn my head towards the jewelry store where I see a bob of silver hair. I can see Riku's profile around where his bangs frame his face.

What's he doing in the jewelry store? Maybe browsing for fun?

But I see his lips move (I can't catch what he's saying over the bustling people and blaring Christmas music), and the jeweler reaches under the counter to grab whatever he may asked for.

Huh. Maybe he's buying something for his mom?

But this is an _expensive_ store. I can't see Riku spending that much on jewelry, even on his mom. It's not possible that he's buying something for a girl he likes, would it be?

I see him being handed a small case, its cover lined with a sleek maroon fabric. He's being rung up for the piece, and before he can catch me spying I book it for the north wing and enter the first store I find.

The gift shop is cliché in its own right: cards hog multiples of shelves and all assortments of gifts line the other cases. Small doll-like figurines look at me with sweet smiles. But Riku wouldn't like something like that. Other silly gifts like talking mugs or bizarre stuffed animals disinterest me as well. I knew this shop would be a dead end….

I pick up what's called a girasheep (a fluffy white sheep with a long neck and brown nose—slightly creepy), and let my thoughts drift elsewhere.

I know that if Riku's going to get a girlfriend I should be happy for him. Riku should have a special girl in his life—he more than anyone I know deserves a girlfriend.

I set the girasheep down and glance over at the decorative clocks. But I don't really pay them much mind—Riku isn't really into clocks as far as I know.

But… if he _was _planning to date a girl, wouldn't he tell me about it? As his best friend, aren't these the kind of details I should be filled on? Not that I could offer much advice as I've never dated anyone, but I could offer support!...

And as my eyes numbly stare into the intricate design of the twelve on one of the clocks, an awful thought comes to mind.

If there _was_ a girl, wouldn't she replace me as Riku's number one?

I try not to think about it, but my heart suddenly feels weighted by the idea. I leave the gift shop empty-handed and try for the next one. And the next one. I explore every store of the mall, but I can't find anything for Riku.

Completely devastated by the lack of anything Riku-like (and the gnawing thought of being replaced by someone else), I find myself on Kairi's doorstep. I ring the doorbell and to my pleasant surprise, my female best friend answers the door. She greets me with a full, warm smile and a huge hug. "Sora!" she says happily. "What are you doing here? I thought you said you were going to go shopping."

"I _tried_," I reply a little sadly. "Can I come in? I need your help."

"If it's about Riku, I don't really know what to tell you…" But her hand is guiding me into the door from behind, the house smelling intensely of Christmas cookies. Before I can contain it, my stomach betrays me and lets out a loud gurgling sound.

She giggles in her Kairi-like way, and she leads me into the kitchen, already stacking a plate full of freshly baked snicker doodles in the middle of the table. "Milk?" she asks as she opens the fridge.

"You should know me well enough to know that I will never turn down milk with cookies."

"Of course," she laughs, pouring two glasses and setting them for her and myself. When we're settled down and eating cookies, it's down to business. "So you still have no idea what to get Riku for Christmas."

"No!..." I whine as I stuff half of a cookie into my mouth. The taste of cinnamon sugar eases my nerves a little bit. The next sentence to come is garbled from the amount of food in my mouth, so as I chew a little and swallow, I try again, "I looked in every store, and nothing looked like he would like it. What do I do?"

"Well…" She pauses to think, taking a delicate sip of milk from her glass. When she sets her glass down, I can already read the look on her face. "Honestly? You should know Riku better than me, even if only a little bit. I'm sure if you just get him _something _he'll like it."

I give a defeated sigh and jam another cookie in my mouth. I hear Kairi's quick gasp, as if she's realized something. "Why do you care so much, Sora?"

My defenses are suddenly on high, whether or not her message implies what I think she's implying. Maybe I'm misinterpreting her question. "I just want Riku to have something he _likes_. Is that so ridiculous?"

"Well, I mean…" She giggles a little at my expense, and I know that can't be good. "No, that's not ridiculous. But you're just so worked up about it! Riku's not really going to care about what he gets."

"But that's just it!" I fight back automatically. "I want to get him something he actually _wants_. Something important or special."

Kairi gives me this _look. _It's a knowing look: the kind she gives me when she knows I'm leaving out a detail, and she wants me to share. I try to deny that I see it there, and I reach for the milk. But as I'm taking a sip, she doesn't back down and repeats her question, a little more slowly this time. "Why do you care so much?"

The last swallow becomes a hard gulp, and the lump in my throat doesn't go away. Telling her why I do care would solidify the very thing I've been denying to myself. And I'm a horrible liar, but I try it anyway. "I want Riku to be happy."

"As his best friend?"

The unspoken, "or something more?" lingers in the air. I'm trapped. Kairi knows, and she knows I'm dodging it. So with no choice, I cave in a little. "Well, yes. And… because…" Her expression softens, and a hand touches mine. Her skin is soft, and a warm shiver crawls up my spine. It encourages me to speak. She wouldn't judge me… she never has before, and won't start now. "Maybe… I like him?"

Her smile lifts at the corners a little at the confession. The words I just spoke resound in my head like a mantra, _I like him I like him I like him,_ and it sounds so damn weird that I'm struggling just to come with terms with it now.

"Is that weird?"

"No!" she says, her hand now wrapping around my own. Her warmth is comforting, and the feelings that flare up inside of me almost betray the feelings I just confessed to. "It's actually… kinda romantic." Her smile is dreamy, but unless I'm mistaken, it seems a bit… sad too.

"Well, it doesn't matter," I explain, "because I'm never I'm going to tell him."

"Why not?"

"_He'll_ find it weird. And it'll just make everything weird, and… I'm just happy being best friends." Kairi looks deflated at the comment. "All I want is just to find him a good present. But… I have no idea."

"That you'll have to figure out on your own. I'm really just getting him something simple—and thinking about it, Riku's never mentioned anything he's really wanted as a gift." Her voice falls silent, and she asks nothing more.

A moment of silence makes me realize that she's not going to say anything else, so I reply. "Thanks anyway." I feel somewhat disappointed that the subject of my feelings for Riku dropped so soon… I wanted to tell her about what I saw a few hours ago at the mall and how it makes me nervous… but I can't really blame Kairi. She might have feelings for me. And if she does, it probably hurts to know I'd choose him over her...

Now my heart feels even heavier with added guilt, and suddenly the snicker doodles that lost their warmth some time ago don't seem appetizing anymore.

* * *

><p>A few days later, I ended up going to a movie with Riku. As a pair of best friends, this shouldn't be awkward at all. It's just a generic action movie (though it paled in comparison to what we actually went through in our teenage years). But I'm on edge through-out the movie, and it's <em>two and half hours long<em>, and I've spent the first half trying to smother all feelings that are bothering me.

Perhaps it's because I've said it out loud now, but I never noticed before why I'm on edge when I'm with Riku like this. My nerves are extra sensitive, and I can just feel the _distance _between us. I'm going absolutely crazy; my hand is mere inches away from his and I just want to feel the warmth of his fingers…

But they never touch. I never expected them to.

The energy burns into the back of my neck and blurs my vision at times. I can't focus on the movie. I don't even know what's going on anymore when I do try to watch it.

What a waste of eight bucks…

Following the lobby, neither of us talk about the movie (and I'm grateful, because I really don't remember most of it) but Riku offers to take me to one of the local diners for lunch. Wanting to spend as much time with him as I can (as if we don't spend almost every day together already), of course I accept. So we jump into his Honda Civic and we're on our way.

Riku's always been good at driving, but he's still learning how to drive the manual car he bought a month ago. I can feel when he changes gears—sometimes it's a small bucking of the car, other times he gets a lucky, smooth transition. One time, he stalls the car at the changing of a stop-light, and with an irritable _goddammit _he has to turn the car off and on again, earning a few blows of the car horns behind us.

And despite this shoddy driving, I'm fascinated. I watch the way his lips move in concentration, the way his left leg shifts to hold in the clutch, the way his arm fiddles with the shift stick to find his way through the gears. I _know _he's embarrassed, but he tries to hide it.

He finally gets us to the diner and yanks on the emergency brake. "We made it alive," I tease. He smiles with a fantastically sarcastic smile, still trying to cover up his embarrassment. And for most people it would work: he looks totally unfazed. But I know that twitch of an eyebrow that I can see means he's embarrassed.

I can't help feeling proud of myself for knowing my best friend so well.

We walk into the diner, me following him, and we're seated, soon to put in orders. As we're waiting for the entrees to come, I decide to tackle my problem head on.

"So, Riku," I say, trying to sound as casual as possible, "Anything new with your plans to move out?"

"No," he says, frustration evident in his voice. Riku has to leave his parent's house by the end of his sophomore semester—next May. He's mentioned needing to find a place for the last couple of weeks, but not with any hint of actually starting to look.

"Well, anything you need that you're missing?" The question is somewhat misplaced and strange, but I needed to stick it in the conversation somewhere. Just a _hint _of what the hell to get Riku for a present…

He shrugs silently. Not even a word? Riku, you are so _infuriating_ right now.

And yet…

His phone buzzes, and as he fidgets with his tight-fitted jeans to fish his phone out his leg accidently bumps mine. The sensation travels like wildfire from my calf to my ears, and suddenly sound becomes muffled by the rushing of blood. I barely miss when he apologizes curtly as he yanks the phone and rushes to text back.

I knew that coming here with him would end up making me tense. Being Riku made me constantly on edge—it's intoxicating in its own right. But that's what infatuation is, isn't it? Craving more of someone you want, and making your mind fuzzy just from the excitement?

I notice that as he's texting, he's _blushing_, but so little it's difficult to notice_. _Why is he blushing? Is he texting his secret girlfriend? The stabbing feeling in my gut returns, and I feel torn between excitement and sadness.

But before I can tease him about it, the burgers come to the table. They smell absolutely _amazing_, and although all my high-running emotions are making me feel a little nauseated, I'm still definitely hungry.

I could lie to myself forever that this friendship where it stands is enough for me. But I'll always want more, and this love will probably be unrequited forever.

* * *

><p>After a day at the beach, I follow Riku back to his house. Today there's no sand stuck to my body despite that there should be. Riku shuts the door behind me, and we walk down to the kitchen.<p>

As he begins to pull cups down from the cupboard, he turns to me and says, "Sora, could you get me the orange juice?" And without question I do, even though we both know that Riku hates orange juice. He rounds the island table, trailing his hand around the edge of the top as he does so. "Hey, I have something to tell you."

I set the carton on the table as he grabs my arm gently. "Sora, you know…" With his free hand he scratches the back of his neck nervously. "I care for you, a lot."

And he's implying what I _think _he's implying, and we appear in his bedroom. He kisses me suddenly—his lips are wet as they work against mine. His strong arms hold me as he guides me to the bed, and my back gently hits the mattress. He moves against me, his body soft and warm, and surprisingly not at all heavy.

His hands trail down my chest, down my sides, and reach as far as they can on my thighs. He presses soft kisses on my neck, and he takes hold of my hipbones with his palms as he works his way down to my navel. He pauses, and looks up at me. His bangs are nearly perfect around his face, and he says, "Your present was awful."

I wake up with a jolt, suddenly realizing that it was all a dream. However, my body hasn't come to this realization yet, so I roll over with an exhausted sigh and try to ignore my problem.

The clock is only flashing 5:42.

I smash my head under the pillow, trying to reclaim another hour of sleep before I have to go back to work. However, I'm trying to hold on to little pieces of the dream, like how Riku touched me and how he looked at me. If I could just return to that, it would be great…

In a few minutes time I do drift back to sleep, but it comes without any dreams at all.

* * *

><p>As I walk away from the coffee shop at mid-afternoon, I hear a familiar voice call after me. "Sora!"<p>

I turn on my heel, and there's Selphie waving to me. I give her a bright smile. "Hey, what's up?"

"So I hear you're having a dilemma," she says cheerfully. "I came to find you to help you out! Come with me to the beach!" Wait, did Kairi tell her? She grabs my hand and carts me all the way down to the beach. She finds a secluded spot in a small alcove along the rock wall, and grabs my shoulders with a thoughtful look on her face.

"So, Sora~" she whispers, "You can't find a Christmas gift for Ri-ku, huh?"

So she _does _know. "Did Kairi tell you about this?"

"She did…" she replies, "but I also saw you spying on Riku at the mall. And don't lie to me about that dreamy look I saw in your eyes! You're so easy to read, you know." Damn it. Okay, so maybe I'm too obvious at times.

"You're not going to tell him, are you?" I cower at the thought of Selphie approaching Riku and spilling the beans.

"Me? How dare you accuse me of such awful things, Sora!" She feigns hurt before returning her gaze back on me. "Anyway, back to our mission. You want to find him a gift, right?"

I nod silently, before adding, "But not just anything. Something he'll like…" I must admit, this is kind of weird, getting Riku-related advice from Selphie. But if she's going to give it, why not?

"Well… think about what things are meaningful to Riku. Or something that's important—something useful."

I contemplate on that. I mean, Riku doesn't need any more weapons or equipment. And… he doesn't really collect anything that I can think of. There's nothing he needs that I can think of either. I mean, wouldn't I have already thought of a present if there was something like that?

I shake my head no. Selphie gives a small, "hmph," before crossing her arms. "Riku can't have _everything _in the world, Sora. Maybe you just need to draw it out of him."

"I already tried!" I shout, thinking of the diner. "_He_ doesn't even know what he needs or wants!"

"Well, then perhaps you need to think of it for him," Selphie says. "I knew this wouldn't be easy. Hmm…" She closes her eyes to ponder a bit. "Think about it for a little bit. If I come up with anything, I'll text you."

She's giving up, just like that? "Standing here won't change anything. These kinds of ideas just sort of come to you, you know?" Am I really that easy to read? "See you around, Sora!" As she turns to leave, she quickly comments, "And by the way, you look _ky-uuuuute _in your uniform!" And she scurries off, leaving dust clouds in her path.

Blushing, I practically tear the black apron off and bundle it up in my arms. I can almost feel the stares of the beach visitors on me now. Selphie sure knows how to embarrass me…

I walk home by myself, apron still crumpled in my hand. I amble inside and throw the apron into the laundry, but I don't bother to change out of my black attire. Instead, out of exhaustion, I heave myself onto the living room couch and turn on the television. I begin to watch, but game show re-runs lull me to sleep.

Riku and I are watching television together on my couch. He curls his hand around mine, and I look at him; giving him a look that only meant one thing. So he smiles and kisses me, first gently. But it quickly turns into passion as we smother each other with hungry, wet kisses.

His hand starts at my cheek and slowly descends down to my side and thigh. When it rests there, he puts weight on it to swing himself onto my lap. He continues to kiss me, sliding his tongue against mine as he grinds down on my hips. I hold him by his sides and push back. The hand resting on my side slides across my lap and—

"_Honey, honey wake up…"_

My mother shakes my shoulder gently. I snort and roll onto my stomach, tilting my head to look up at her. She looks at me with a soft smile. "It's already six o'clock. Don't you get off work at three?"

"Yeah…" But then I'd met with Selphie for a half an hour—so… until I'd gotten home, I guess I'd been sleeping for two hours. Huh. Two hours dreaming about Riku. If Riku knew I had dreams about him like this, I'm sure he'd be disgusted.

"Here, I made you some tea." She sets down the green-colored mug on the coffee table. It smells fruity. "Dinner will be ready in about a half an hour."

"Okay…" She walks back to the kitchen, leaving me with the tea. I sit up and blow away from of the steam, a little too hot to drink yet. I think it's peach…

I look down at what's laying on the table. The newspaper is still there from this morning—presumably from my dad. I pick it up while I wait for my tea to become a tolerable temperature and page through it. I don't usually read the paper, but sometimes there's something interesting if I'm bored enough. I'm glancing through the classified ads section as it hits me.

I pull my phone out from my pocket and text Selphie.

* * *

><p>Riku brought his cookies to the Christmas Eve party. Riku makes the <em>best <em>chocolate chip cookies around. But don't tell my mom, or she might cry.

I'm on my third cookie in the last five minutes, and Kairi laughs at me. "Save some for everyone else, Sora!"

"Sorry—" I mutter with my mouth full. "But they're so good! Riku's so good at makin' 'em."

"I know; that's why you should leave some for someone else." Kairi gives a light giggle and takes one for herself. "Oh, speaking of which, there's Riku."

I glance over to where he's at, standing in the doorway. His eyes meet mine, and I feel a small blush form on my cheeks. "Hey, Sora…" He's about to ask about something, so without thinking I run over, half a cookie left in hand, and meet him under the doorway.

"What's up?" I chew on the cookie nervously, realizing the close space between Riku and myself.

"Have you seen Selphie?" he asks, unaware by the rising panic in my mind, "She told me to get marshmallows for the hot chocolate, but she didn't say where she wanted to set them…"

"Here I am!" She peeks her head around the corner from the kitchen. "Just set them next to the popcorn; I almost have the hot water ready." And then a contemplative look crosses her face before she comments, "Hey, I think you guys are under the mistletoe…"

I peer up, and as Selphie says, there's the familiar bundle of green leaves and white berries, tied up with a red bow tacked up on the doorframe. Did Selphie plant that there on purpose?...

Riku stares down at me, his expression unreadable. I think I can see the hint of a blush starting, but there's not enough light in the room to tell. Is… is he gonna kiss me?

I must look dumbfounded, looking back up at him there. Selphie shouts from the other room, "Now you guys have to kiss!" And for a moment, I think I see Riku's head tilt a little my way. Maybe…

"What, are you kidding me?" And with a cynical smile, he walks away from where we were standing. "As if. No offense, Sora."

The shock of what just _might have _happened washes off of me, and I try to brush it off as if I really did want that kiss. "Whatever, you know you wanted it." And I walk towards the couch as I finish the last of my cookie in my mouth. I could Riku's delicious cookies all night…

Riku puts the marshmallows where they belong on the table and grabs himself a small bowl of popcorn. Without second thought he crashes on the couch next to me, huddled closer than what's necessary. My stomach does a couple flips; I can just feel the warmth of his body against mine. I try to the hide the blush that's probably forming on my face. Man, good thing it's so dim in here!

Eventually I become almost numb to the buzzing hormones as neither of us move from our spot for most of the night. Two hours after we started, everyone's attending and swapping gifts. But Selphie's handing them out to everyone, so we still don't have to move. I'm afraid that if I do, someone will take my spot. I'm seriously content right here beside him…

Though, that dream I had a few days ago about Riku and myself on the couch plays on repeat in my head, and I have to block it out. I do become satisfactorily distracted when Selphie hands me a present from Kairi. It's about a medium-sized box—maybe a little smaller than my head. But it's a bit of an awkward shape, with bumps and curves around the top. I wonder what she could've gotten for me.

Without any lick of grace I tear the paper right off. What I'm looking at are a brand new pair of headphones—the big clunky kind. I read the packaging, "Timweisser 324SHS Supra-aural Headphones – Funky Rock style." And man do they _look _funky. The designs on the back of the phones are a multitude of bright rainbow colors and stars. I look up down where Kairi is sitting on the floor, and I grin at her. And she returns the smile—she must know she picked the right gift.

"I love them, Kairi!" I sputter, excited to try them out once I had my mp3 player on me.

"I knew your old pair was getting bad, and I thought those were totally you."

"Wow, can I see?" But without waiting for my consent, Riku grabs them from my hands and inspects them. He gives a curt nod and hands them back. "Yep. Exactly your style, Sora." But his voice sounds a little depressed and tired. Why does he seem upset by Kairi's gift? He's not… _jealous_, is he?

As I think it, Selphie speaks it, "I think someone's jealous that Kairi picked out something Sora _really _likes!" Riku looks a little panic-stricken for a split-second, but then composes his face into a stoic expression. I saw that, you know! "But it's not too late, he hasn't seen yours yet!"

"Selphie, I'm not jealous," he says calmly, "I was just wondering what they looked like."

"Uh huh, _suuuuure_." Selphie seems convinced of her theory. And, looking at him, I'd almost agree. But then again, I think it's my imagination making it up because I _want _him to be jealous…

Selphie hands a gift to Tidus, next Wakka, and then hops over to the couch with two small boxes, one of them being mine to Riku. My heart gives a great leap, knowing what was inside of it. I get worried—was it a mistake? Would he reject my gift?

He seems a little taken aback by what I've handed him, unsure of what it possibly could be. The box easily fits the inside of his palm. The box I'm given by Selphie is a little larger, but flat. On the label is marked from being from Riku. _Oh. _So then, it's not a ring… then again, why would I expect to get that, anyway?

Trying to ignore him as he carefully peels the wrapping paper off, I pop the lid of the box and slide the rest of the box inside. The only thing inside is an envelope—so I pick that up and pry my fingers underneath, sliding out the contents.

I hear him give a surprised gasp at his own present as I'm reading the two pieces of paper in my hand. It's two tickets for Eddy's RollerWorld—a rollercoaster park that's on one of the main islands not too far away. I've wanted to go for _years_, but being gone for so long never really allowed for a trip there. That, and I was never able to go there myself…

"Thanks Riku! It's great!" With tickets still in hand, I attack him with a hug that nearly sends him off the couch. He looks a little bewildered, and I retract back to my place. But then I see he's looking at the key, and I realize it calls for an explanation.

"Well, you see…" I pause to wring my hands, nervous as all hell, and continue, "I know that you've been having a hard time finding a place to go, and I realized that part of the problem is that you weren't able to afford the rent yourself. So I pulled some strings and… that's the key to the apartment."

His expression is nearly blank to the point where _I_ can't even read it. Maybe… maybe he doesn't like it? Crap… "I mean, the catch is that you'd be sharing it with _me _because you can't afford it alone, b-but if you don't want to move in with me that's okay—"

"Whoa, whoa, it's _okay _Sora," he says, holding my shoulder with a hand. The ghost of a smile pulls at the corner of his lips, and I feel relieved. "No, I'm just… _stunned_. I can't believe you…" He trails off just smiles that little bit. So, then he likes it? He's… he's moving in with me?

The great wave of adrenaline moves through my body like electric. Riku and I are going to be living together!...

I don't even notice when everyone else is watching until Tidus clears his throat. I look up and see the faces of my friends staring us down. Are we that interesting to watch?

But my attention goes back to Riku, who is admiring the key, twirling it between his fingers. He must really like it then. My plan to get the best-present-ever was a success!

There's only one problem…

My eyes graze across the room, but all gifts have been opened, and no sign of Riku's ring is found. I mean, I guess I would have _heard _someone open a super-expensive ring if they had. So then, who was it for? Was Mystery Girlfriend off somewhere else, waiting for him tomorrow? Or was the ring maybe just for his mom after all?

I try not to worry about it, but now that it's come to mind, I can't erase it. Despite that, I still enjoy the night with my friends, carrying on and eating until my sides are about to burst.

If there is a girl out there, I'll just have to wait until he tells me about her. At the moment, I'm just excited to move in with my best friend.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Part 2 – New Year's coming soon…<strong>_


	2. Part 2: New Year's

**A/N: I tried **_**really **_**hard to nail the narrative in a Sora-like tone, which is why the writing is a bit… simple/strange/straight-forward/whatever. I'm honestly unsatisfied with the way it turned out, and part of the reason this took so long is because I had to keep editing the weird narrative. Guh. (Feel free to critique—that would probably help…)**

**Otherwise, enjoy the second part! I only got two reviews, but this got plenty of hits. Review if you like it so I know I should keep writing. c:**

**P.S. – Sorry it's so late… the week before New Year's, I was worked like a mad woman. Eck.**

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><p>The Mystery Girlfriend<p>

Part 2 – New Year's

When planning to move in with Riku to the apartment, the benefits of the fact that Riku is really good in the kitchen really never crossed my mind.

We're hardly moved in—boxes are stacked in multiples across the room, and our uncoordinated efforts to move in living essentials leave most of the rooms in shambles. But Riku has the kitchen decked out in all the necessary kitchen wares, and everything is put away. Not to mention that Riku's version of a break involves the most _wonderful _smell of spicy chicken that's wafting from the kitchen.

I'm throwing the pillows I found in one of the boxes on the couch when my stomach grumbles loudly. Damn, I'll never be able to cook that well…

I hear the sounds of bubbling and crackling mute, and I begin to hear the scraping and clanging of dishes. It must be nearly done. But before I can go out to claim a dish, Riku is already bringing me out a bowl, fork shoved in. If only I could live on Riku's cooking _forever._

He smiles humbly and places the bowl in my hands. "Here you go," he says. He then scoops a forkful of rotini noodles and diced chicken in his mouth. He chokes a little—and provides, "I guess I put a little too much cayenne in…"

Riku has always been a little more sensitive to spice than I have, so I'm not worried. I try a little myself. The flavor of the spices are a little on the strong side, but it's delicious. Especially the cheddar sauce—it's a fact that cheddar isone of the best cheeses to exist.

"It's really good!" I compliment, immediately shoveling more in. It's nearly five o'clock and I haven't eaten since breakfast—we've been moving stuff into the apartment all morning. My stomach grumbles pleasantly to sensation of food.

"I think you're only saying that because you're starving."

"No, no! It really is…" I take a seat on the couch, and it creaks a little under the pressure of my weight. Riku joins me by my side and eats too, satisfied with his dish. My heart flutters a little due to the close proximity, but I'm going to have to get used to it since we're going to be living together for at least six months.

_Living with Riku…_ the thought is enough to make me grin.

Riku finishes a mouthful of food and then turns to me. "Were you planning to go into town on New Year's Eve?"

"We go every year, Riku! What would make this year different?"

"Well, you usually go with your family, but now you've moved out, so…"

A thought crosses my mind and before I could convince myself not to, I ask, "Did you want to go together then?"

He's already taken another mouthful, so he settles for a happy nod. I can't help but feel a thrill—things are going so smoothly! But with Mystery Girlfriend probably out there somewhere, who knows how long? And suddenly, thoughts of that stupid ring start nagging me again…

I try to ignore that stabbing feeling as Riku gathers my bowl now that it's empty and takes it out to the kitchen. But the awful thought of losing Riku to another girl is preying on my thoughts, and my good mood is dampened.

But Riku comes back and we're back to work, box by box. Between the both of us we didn't bring _that _much, but the move was made so hastily that we just individually threw things in random boxes, making organization pretty damn difficult. We even forgot to bring beds—none were provided in the two bedrooms of the apartment.

I can't speak for Riku's disorganized packing, but I was too excited because it was going to be _just _me and Riku. The bad feelings of Mystery Girlfriend are washed away with the giddiness of the idea.

In one of the boxes is a picture frame of the two of us and Kairi. We're sitting on the dock of the play island. Kairi is sandwiched in between us, and our arms are strung across all shoulders. "Hey, Riku!" I stare down at the photo as I address him. "Look at this! How old is this picture?"

He pauses in his current work and huddles close to me, arm pushing mine a little. The contact makes my skin tingle, and an electrical spark moves through my body. He sighs in a way that sounds like he's a little in awe. "I don't know. It must have been sometime shortly before we left the island."

I smirk at the memory. Wakka had snapped that picture for us—it was after we spent the day playing on the beach. "I guess I'll set it…" I rise to my feet and set the picture frame on top of the television stand, "right where we can see it."

Riku gives a curt nod in approval, and then he returns back to his box to finish whatever he was unpacking. It'll be nice when we're finished—at this rate I'd guess we'll be done around tomorrow—and then we can relax a little bit when I'm not at work. And New Year's is only a few days away. Maybe the ring will show up then—New Year's is a romantic time, right? No—but Riku's going with _me_ to the town square…

**I have **_**got **_**to stop thinking about this damn ring!**

I hope that Riku doesn't see when I throw the next pillow I find a little harder than necessary.

The sun has long since vanished under the horizon, and the majority of boxes have been emptied, except for a few things that didn't really have a home at the moment. Because there aren't any beds in our apartment yet, Riku decides that we should camp out in the living room.

As we roll out our sleeping bags in front of the television set, I'm reminded of the sleepovers we often had as younger kids—spending endless hours of the night playing video games and watching movies until we couldn't stay awake anymore. And Riku will never admit it, but he was always the first to fall asleep.

And true to our sleepover ways, Riku's already shuffling through our quaint collection of DVDs that we'd organized two hours ago. The first movie he picks is a generic action movie that we've both seen several times. I can afford to stay up late tonight—tomorrow is another day off work to spend with Riku.

The third movie is turned on around three o' clock, and I can hardly keep my eyes open. However, to my surprise, Riku only seems to be slightly sleepy with the occasional yawn. I throw in the towel and curl up into the navy sleeping bag. Despite that the floor is hardly comfortable to sleep on, the warmth sweeps me into unconsciousness before I can even relish in the comfort.

When my eyes open again, the room is still dark. The only way I know any kind of time has passed is that the DVD has reverted back to its main menu. So then… Riku caved too.

I look over to where he is lying. He's curled towards me, and I can see his mouth is slightly agape. I debate for a moment if I should turn off the TV, but in keeping with tradition, I just swap it out for the next movie I see, not even bothering to contemplate if it's anything I want to watch (since I plan to sleep in the next few minutes anyway).

When I get the movie to begin, I curl back down. Man, this floor is harder than I remembered falling asleep on. No wonder I woke back up…

The movie that begins has a lot of light color, which reflects onto the room. From where I'm lying, I watch Riku sleep. During the daytime he looks like he could conquer the whole world (and although over the years he grows humbler, he's still got that confidence in him), but when he sleeps, he looks completely vulnerable.

As his best friend in the whole world, I know for a fact that Riku has a lot of insecurities. He rarely comes out and says anything of the sort, but I understand when he feels the pressure. I think that most times he knows when I know—but he never says anything then either. It's all a silent exchange, and that's okay with me. The fact that he doesn't try to actively hide anything from me means that he must trust me, and that's enough.

He murmurs in his sleep something scarily akin to _"Xehanort," _and I can't help but feel a little worried. I watch as his eyebrow furrows just a little—just barely enough to notice it—and the next couple words are incomprehensible. I think he's having a nightmare. Should I wake him up?...

As my arm lifts a little his way as I debate this idea, his eyes widen an inch. He's woken himself up. And his eyes flutter—my heart gives a great bound at the beautiful sight—and then he stares back at me, somewhat confused.

Erk—guess I've been caught. Whoops. "You looked like you were having a nightmare," I explain, hoping he won't think of me weird for watching him sleep.

He looks confused for a moment through his hazy-sleepy state. "I did?..." A silent moment passes, and his eyes drift closed a little bit as if he'd pass back out. But they twitch open again, and he says, "I don't remember dreaming anything, really. For a moment though, I forgot where I was when I woke up…"

Yeah, I can't blame him for that. And it's pretty normal to forget what you've dreamt of when you wake up, so I guess as long as he doesn't remember, it's okay… "Hey, Riku?"

"Hm?" He hardly hums in reply, clearly ready to drift back asleep. I wonder how early it is in the morning anyway…

"Goodnight."

The corner of his lips curl up ever-so-slightly in a lazy kind of smile. "'night, Sora." And his eyes close as he goes back to sleep. I watch him for a few more minutes until my eyes drift shut.

* * *

><p>Riku and I still haven't invested in new mattresses. Since the first night we've been swapping for the couch, both sleeping in the living room. It's kind of strange… But it works for us, so what does it matter? Beds are expensive, anyway! We'll get to buying them eventually.<p>

New Year's Eve comes around, and I can't help feeling giddy. Going to watch the celebration with Riku, just me and him!... I know I can't think of it like a _date_, but it almost feels like it. It makes my chest feel like it's going to burst from the excitement.

That night we head out together to walk to the town square. It's a semi-chilly night, just warm enough for long-sleeved shirts and pants. We walk side-by-side in the semi-darkness, the pathway lit by several streetlamps. Neither of us speak for most of the trip.

Destiny Islands isn't very big, and we're almost to the square in twenty minutes. However, before we get there, Kairi barrels into me, nearly knocking me onto my feet. "Kairi!" I gasp, straightening her and myself upright. "Whoa, you scared me!"

She giggles as she straightens her shirt. "Heehee, sorry Sora." She glances at Riku, and then backs up a little to speak to the both of us. "Were you guys on your way to the New Year's celebration?"

"Of course," Riku replies as he shovels his hands into his pockets. "I assume you are too?"

"Yep!" Kairi rocks back on her heels. "I was going to go with Selphie, but she seems to have disappeared…" Kairi looks a little depressed. Thinking about it, although it's been such a short time, Riku and I's moving-in has inched Kairi a little out of the picture of our trio. If I were her, I'd feel left out…

"Do you want to come along?" I know that I want to pretend that this is a "Riku and I" date, but it's _not_, and quite honestly I'd like Kairi's company. Her face lights up with a bright smile.

"Sure!" She falls next in line to me and the three of us make our way down to the center of town. It's crowded with the locals here—almost everyone comes to welcome in the new year.

We gather by the crowd, close to the outskirts of it. We've barely made it by a few minutes so most people have already arrived, but despite that, more people after us are gathering behind. Mere seconds after finding a spot to stand at the streetlamps flicker off. Everything is now in total darkness.

I feel a hand squeeze mine. As I turn to my left, I realize that it's _Riku _who's to my left. But why would he do that? I try to not let my feelings get out of control as I figure out why Riku would do something so strange.

I can't see his face, as my eyes are still adjusting to the sudden absence of light. But I can feel his hand trembling ever-so slightly, and it comes to me.

Riku's still afraid of the dark.

It hits me—and the weight of that truth feels heavy. I mean, how must it feel to have intense fear of something that's so… normal? And he can't really talk about it to anyone—no one would understand the depth of his fear. It explains why he never turns off the TV at night; it's his way of keeping out of the complete dark.

But a chill runs up my back as his hand grips mine tightly. I almost wish he'd let go because I feel like I could just shatter, but really I never want him to let go… I give a little squeeze back to let him know that I'm here with him.

My eyes are beginning to adjust, and I swear I see him smile at me.

Then a small streak of gold sparks shoots across the sky, and silver and blue bursts and fades away. And then more fireworks of various colors go off: red, green, gold… As the fireworks light the street a little brighter Riku's nervous grip loosens a little; however, he never lets go.

When the fireworks are over and the streetlights begin to slowly turn back on, Riku finally returns his hand back to his pocket. When the crowd breaks up and people head back to their homes, the three of us head to Tidus's for his New Year's party.

Upon arrival the music is already cranked up and people are everywhere. Most of them are people from the school we graduated at, but I can pick out a few faces that I don't recognize. Tidus greets us in and eventually we're helped to drinks. I figure that none of us are driving, so what's the harm in enjoying a little?

Before I know it, I'm climbing on the couch, crowded with Kairi on my left and Riku on my right. I've had just enough that I'm feeling a little dopey, and when I get up I can't walk quite straight. Riku's only cradling his second drink, so he's probably mostly sober. But I can tell Kairi's had a few too many from her slight slurring and exaggerated laughing. I'm enjoying my vodka and Sprite at a fairly slow pace while listening to my friends chatter.

But as I take a look at Riku, I notice his free hand is actually back in his jacket pocket. This… is unusual behavior for Riku. He rarely has his hands stuck in his pockets. And why does he still have that jacket on, anyway? Even though it's a light jacket, it's a bit warm in here with all these people. Man, Riku is just not behaving _normally _today…

"…and while Sora here is taking his sweet time to get a girlfriend…" The mention of my name perks my attention. Tidus is talking about me. But what's this mention of _girlfriends?_ "But I gotta ask, Riku. Why don't you have a girlfriend yet? You must be the best looking guy on the island. You should be able to get a woman—easily."

"I heard him turning down a lady the other day," Wakka chimes in with a chuckle, who then takes a swig of his beer.

"Exactly! Why don't you get yourself a woman?"

Riku gives the two an inquisitive look. "Are you saying that I _need _a girlfriend?"

"Well…" Tidus pauses, licks his lips nervously, and answers. "Yeah, kinda. But it can't be _that _hardfor you, man. Just wondering what's stopping you. I can understand Sora—" He sends a teasing smile my way. _Hey!_ What's that supposed to mean? "But you are a lady's man."

"Not… really." I brush aside Tidus's stupid comment as I await Riku's reply. If we're talking about girlfriends, maybe he'll mention _her_. "And who says I need a girlfriend to be happy?"

But the fact that he's dodged the actual question doesn't escape my attention. Well, maybe because I'm looking for a particular answer, but still…

Tidus shrugs and says, "Whatever. But you don't know what you're missing out on." And the conversation is gone just like that. I'm disappointed because if Riku is hiding this secret, I thought this might be a chance to find out. And the fact that Riku's hand is fidgeting in his pocket is making me even more on edge about the whole thing.

Several hours and a few more drinks later, Riku and I head back to the apartment. I'm still feeling a little wobbly, but I can get myself home without any assistance. I feel kinda lame; Riku might have stayed longer, but I decided to leave around one o'clock. I do have to work tomorrow morning. People still need their damn caffeine on New Year's Day.

But Riku insists that he doesn't mind at all, so we walk back together. I have this nagging suspicion that Riku's got himself a little tipsy, but if so, I can't even tell. Damn his awesome composure.

Finally we stumble through the front door, the warmth of the house instantaneous. As I'm toeing my shoes off at the front door, Riku sweeps his jacket off his back in a less graceful fashion than usual. He gives it a firm shake to hang it on the hook of the foyer, but when he does it's followed by a clunking sound. I don't even think twice as I reach down for whatever Riku dropped to give it back to him.

But as I reach for the maroon box, I know exactly what this is. It's the ring! So I was right to suspect something; he _did _have it at the party.

Dozens of questions are boiling in my brain. What's Riku doing with this now? Why did he bring it with him? Did he intend to give it to Mystery Girlfriend? Maybe it's all the liquor exacerbating this anger, but I can't help it! Ever since I saw Riku buy this damn thing, I just want to know who he intended to give it to!

The room is very silent as I'm staring at this box, which is now trembling in my hand. I'm about to burst, and I know it. But I can't reason with myself.

"Sora—"

"All right!" All my inhibitions are lowered—I just start screaming before I can stop myself. "I've had enough! You've had this ring since before Christmas, and I know because I _saw _you buy it! I just want to know who it was for! Why did you bring it tonight? Was it for someone at the party? Was it Kairi or Selphie or some other girl I don't know about?"

"Sora…"

"And if you were _planning_ on asking a girl out, why didn't you tell me? I—"

"Sora!" His voice is loud and booming and it makes me flinch, which breaks my concentration. Satisfied, Riku gives me a blatant nervous look (that can't be good) as he points at the case. "Did you actually _see _the ring?"

"What?... N-no. Just the case. But I saw you bought it at a jewelry store…"

"Take a look."

Maybe it's not a ring then? But then, what else could be in a case like this? I guess a small necklace or earrings or something. I'm afraid to open the case for some weird reason, and my fingers tremble as they rest near the opening. Here goes nothing.

I push the case with my thumb, and it opens with a small click.

It's a ring after all, but it's not exactly what I'd imagined. I'd thought it'd be something girly—simple band with a shiny gem or something like that. But this ring has a thick band which is molded with intricate engravings, like silver rope is intertwining around itself.

I realize that either Riku has seriously bad taste in jewelry for women, or that this is a ring made for a _man._

Riku awkwardly laughs as I give the ring a disbelieving look. "Sora, I was planning on giving this to someone. But… there was no girl. Just… you."

His confession is quiet and his voice has a nervousness that I can point out. Maybe I'm drunker than I actually thought and I misheard him_,_ but I when I return my gaze back to him his face tells it all. The corner of his eye is twitching, and he really can't hide the blush coming to his cheeks.

I feel my face get hot and tears prick at the corners of my eyes. No! I can't let him see me cry… I stare back down at the box, hoping for something to happen.

He's still standing there, probably unsure of what to do next. But I don't know what to do next either. I mean, of course I'll say yes. But I'm a little in shock, and I'm not sure if I should put on the damn ring or let him or…

I make the mistake of looking up at him.

This must be the most terrified I've ever seen Riku in my life, and that's _really _saying something considering the amount of trials we've been through thus far in our lives. He's biting his lip and trembling significantly—I still haven't exactly given him an answer.

I step forward, stumbling thanks to my intoxication, but I still manage to find my way into Riku's arms, ring and case still in my hand. It takes him a moment, but he then wraps his arms around me firmly.

"Riku, I…" Tears start welling in my eyes, and I know I've lost that battle. But it doesn't matter. "I really can't believe it was for me after all…"

His hands tilt my head up in a less-than-gentle fashion, and he kisses me. Well, I can't say I expected it to be quite like _that_. My head feels dizzy—dizzier than it had seconds ago—and I return the kiss. We kiss again, and again; wet lips press and smack in a way that just makes me crave more. Tears that were sticking to my lashes finally roll down my cheeks as he holds me there for a long moment.

But then he presses my chin with his thumb to pull me away. He stares at me for a moment, and I have no idea what's going to come out of his mouth next. He begins to mouth something, but decides not to say anything. I have an inkling I know what it was as soon as he wipes the tears away from my eyes.

I press the case into his palm, and he looks at me, bewildered. I smile and tap the case with my ring finger. He understands, because then he takes the ring out and slips it onto my right hand gingerly. I look at it with disappointment. It's a little too big for this finger…

"Well, dummy, try it on your other finger then," he says with a laugh. "That's not the only finger you have, you know." I stick out my tongue at him, and glance down to try it on the middle finger. It's a perfect fit. In fact… it looks better on this finger than the other one.

He sets the case back on the side table as I'm staring at the ring, satisfied. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer to him. I can feel his breathing, and for a moment, I wonder if this is real after all.

Tonight we set up the sleeping bags like sheets to a single bed, and we settle for the floor together. But it's a little more comfortable than it's been in the past, mostly because Riku's chest makes a good pillow.

* * *

><p>As Riku and I step out of the mattress store, he clasps his hand in mine. I've started to get used to having our relationship out in public, but it stills feels embarrassing. I mean, what if one of our friends saw us? We'd never live it down! But whatever. We'll deal with it as it comes.<p>

Now that we're out here, I hug my arms close to myself. It's chillier out here than I remembered it being. It was like 50 degrees a few hours ago! Why does it suddenly feel like the North Pole?

Riku grabs my shoulder and yanks me closer as we walk down the street, obviously trying to find a heat source. Not that I mind—Riku's skin feels warm next to mine.

A gust of strong wind nearly knocks us off our feet, and now I'm starting to really get weirded out. "What the heck is this weather?" I ask, but Riku shakes his head with a shrug.

When a more gentle wind follows, I notice dust specks swirl and gather. Though we both know what it is, Riku is the one to say it out loud. "Snow?" Well, that's definitely strange. It _never_ snows on Destiny Islands. The only time we ever saw it before was off on other worlds…

"Yeah, I think so… but… what?" I tilt my head and laugh, unable to handle the absurdity of strange weather. "You think we should be concerned?"

"I'll be concerned if we get another message in a bottle or see a Gummi Ship," Riku jests. "Otherwise, let's not worry about it." He pulls me closer, and our shoulders bump together a little awkwardly.

"Sounds good to me," I agree with a smile. "But I wish I had a scarf or something."

"Or a jacket," Riku offers. T-shirts are terrible for cold weather.

"Yeah, that too. But I do know what _would _keep us warm."

"And what's that?"

"A race back home. On the count of three." I don't even give Riku the chance to offer or reject the challenge, because I _know _Riku can't resist. "One, two… three!" And I break free of his embrace, running with all the power I can muster in my legs.

Seconds later, I can hear Riku's pounding steps right behind me, the intense race on. And when we finally stumble at the front door, I'm _too _warm. So I collapse right outside the door, and Riku lies down in front of my feet. We remain there, panting for air in the crisp cold.

Riku looks gorgeous there, and I can't help myself when I bend over to kiss him. He tries to drag down my shoulders, but I lose my balance and fall on top of him. Riku gives a startled "oomph!" and then laughs. When I peer up through my bangs, the neighbor leaving their house gives us an awkward look. I wave back, unable to think of anything smoother.

"Oi, would you get off of me? It's a little hard to breathe like this…" I rest my hands in the spaces around Riku's head and push myself onto my toes. I stare down at Riku, who's still trying to catch his breath. "Hey… aren't you going to help me up?"

"Mm? Oh, yeah." I give him my right hand, and I yank him onto his feet. We shuffle inside, chuckling, before he grabs me and kisses me with such ferocity that I've lost every bit of air I regained just a minute ago.

I wouldn't have this any other way.

* * *

><p><em>End.<em>


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